The Town of Carrboro has canceled the 2021 Carrboro Music Festival, citing rising numbers of COVID-19 cases, according to an announcement Monday.
The annual festival was scheduled for Sept. 25-26 in more than 20 venues across downtown Carrboro.
“While we are all disappointed, the reactions I have seen from folks in the community, including performers, have been understanding and supportive of the decision,” council member Damon Seils said. “We are very excited about next year’s big anniversary festival.”
Last year's Carrboro Music Festival was held virtually. This year's festival was planned to take place in person, but a rising number of delta variant cases has led to discussions among Town leaders on how to adapt.
The decision to cancel the festival was made with input from the Carrboro Music Festival Planning Committee, the Town Council and staff.
“We just had to err on the side of caution with this one because it is such a big event,” Mayor Pro Tem Barbara Foushee said. “It draws so many people — not just people from Carrboro and Chapel Hill — but people from everywhere.”
If the festival had not been canceled this year, it still would have looked different than in past years, Foushee said. She added that there were complications with finding venues.
“Some of the venues that would have been used had already pulled out,” she said. “In the end, it seemed like it was an uncontrollable situation where the spread of the virus could have very easily taken place.”
The Carrboro Music Festival has historically been one of the Town’s largest and most popular events. Recreation Administrator Charles Harrington said the event has featured as many as 200 acts in 25 to 30 venues around downtown Carrboro.